Meat-and-potato-loving Spokane residents are embracing the bold and unfamiliar flavors of ethnic foods. Unlike most urban cities, home to established food districts where independent grocers and restaurants specializing in a specific international cuisine reside – San Francisco’s China Town, L.A.’s Korea Town, New York’s Little Italy or even Seattle’s International District – Spokane’s smattering of ethnic fare, although present and growing, is scattered. But ethnic influences on the menus of local, nonethnic restaurants seem to be a budding trend. One of the biggest food trends to reach our area is Korean food. While Korean cuisine has flourished for decades in bigger cities, it has just been in the past few years that it began spreading across mainstream America. Known for its spicy grilled meats and pickled vegetables, its bold pungent flavors have become all the rage with chefs and diners. Its distinctive spicy chili-bean paste, called gojuchang, is made from fermented soybeans and red chilies.
